Fort Myers Beach in the 1970s: The Surf Club and the Old Island Life

Subscribe for more of the places you remember:    / @gabesamericanfootprintsyt   Fort Myers Beach in the 1970s meant sun-filled vacations, sandy shores, and the easygoing charm of old Florida. Revisit the fishing pier, shrimp boats, and beach days that made this Gulf Coast destination an unforgettable part of family summers. This nostalgic documentary celebrates Fort Myers Beach history and the seaside memories that still bring people back. #FortMyersBeach #OldFlorida #1970snostalgia — SOURCES Fort Myers Beach Observer and Beach Bulletin, coverage of the Outrigger sale and demolition, the London Bay hearings and filing, the Times Square clock, and the pier rebuild (2009–2026) Beach Talk Radio News, "The Mermaid is Closing… For Sure This Time" and coverage of London Bay's plans (2021–2026) The News-Press, Fort Myers, Hurricane Ian coverage and "Lani Kai founder 'Mr. C' dies at 93" (2022–2025) Estero Island Historic Society, Ellie Bunting's "End of an Era" and "Lost Icons of Fort Myers Beach" Town of Fort Myers Beach, "A Short History of Fort Myers Beach" by Barrett and M. Adelaide Brown, and the town's Comprehensive Plan Lee County Parks and Recreation, Lynn Hall Memorial Park history and Fort Myers Beach Pier project updates Gulfshore Business, coverage of the Lani Kai rebuild, the London Bay vote and the Sunset Beach Resort (2022–2026) Business Observer, "Fort Myers Beach's future questioned as another hotel property sells" (2023) WGCU Public Media, coverage of the planning agency vote on the Outrigger plan (2026) WINK News, coverage of the Times Square clock unveiling and Lee County tourism (2023–2026) Florida Weekly and Pine Island Eagle, coverage of the Lani Kai and The Whale (2025–2026) Lee County Visitor and Convention Bureau, Value of Tourism 2025 State Archives of Florida, Florida Memory, Robert M. Overton photograph of the Outrigger (1991) Fort Myers Beach Lions Club, Shrimp Festival history Timestamps: 0:00 Fort Myers Beach Before the Storm 1:48 The Lani Kai and the Pier's Origins 3:05 Time Square's Decline and the New Bridge 4:17 The Bars, Clubs, and Island Culture 5:39 The Outrigger and the South End 6:26 Spring Break, Snug Harbor, and Sand Sculpting 8:56 The Reinfried Family's Island Empire 10:25 Fort Myers Beach Becomes Its Own Town 11:23 The Walking Mall, the Clock, and New Traditions 12:21 Hurricane Charley and the Name Shuffle 13:37 The County Buys In and the Mermaid's Last Call 15:49 Hurricane Ian Levels the Square 16:48 The Outrigger Sells and London Bay Moves In 18:29 The Fight Over What Gets Built Next 21:32 Rebuilding: The Pier, the Clock, and the Old Names 24:38 The South End Still Waiting